Sectors & IndustriesHealthcareDiagnostics & Research

Best Diagnostic & Research Stocks to Buy Now (2025)

Top diagnostic & research stocks in 2025 ranked by overall Zen Rating. "A" Rated stocks have returned an average of +32.52% per year, and are the best diagnostic & research stocks to buy now. Learn More.

According to Zen Ratings, our proprietary rating system that evaluates 115 factors proven to drive growth in stocks and assigns each stock in our system an overall letter grade as well as 7 individual Component Grades for Value, Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, Safety, Financials, and proprietary AI algorithms, the 3 best diagnostic & research stocks to buy right now are:

Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) is the #1 top diagnostic & research stock out of 58 with a Zen Rating of A. Stocks with a rating of A have had an average return of +32.52% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) is: Value: B, Growth: A, Momentum: F, Sentiment: C, Safety: B, Financials: B, and AI: C.

Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) has a Due Diligence Score of 16, which is -11 points lower than the diagnostic & research industry average of 27. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates ILMN as a "A".

ILMN passed 5 out of 33 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Illumina has seen its stock lose -38.19% over the past year, underperforming other diagnostic & research stocks by -12 percentage points.

Illumina has an average 1 year price target of $129.17, an upside of 67.53% from Illumina's current stock price of $77.10.

Illumina stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 12 analysts covering Illumina, 33.33% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 8.33% have issued a Buy, 50% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 8.33% have issued a Strong Sell.

Qiagen Nv (NYSE:QGEN) is the #2 top diagnostic & research stock out of 58 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Qiagen Nv (NYSE:QGEN) is: Value: B, Growth: C, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: B, and AI: C.

Qiagen Nv (NYSE:QGEN) has a Due Diligence Score of 23, which is -4 points lower than the diagnostic & research industry average of 27. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates QGEN as a "B".

QGEN passed 9 out of 38 due diligence checks and has weak fundamentals. Qiagen Nv has seen its stock return 0.78% over the past year, overperforming other diagnostic & research stocks by 27 percentage points.

Qiagen Nv has an average 1 year price target of $48.25, an upside of 13.18% from Qiagen Nv's current stock price of $42.63.

Qiagen Nv stock has a consensus Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 4 analysts covering Qiagen Nv, 25% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 0% have issued a Buy, 75% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Labcorp Holdings (NYSE:LH) is the #3 top diagnostic & research stock out of 58 with a Zen Rating of B. Stocks with a rating of B have had an average return of +19.88% per year. Learn more.

The Component Grade breakdown for Labcorp Holdings (NYSE:LH) is: Value: C, Growth: B, Momentum: C, Sentiment: C, Safety: C, Financials: C, and AI: C.

Labcorp Holdings (NYSE:LH) has a Due Diligence Score of 51, which is 24 points higher than the diagnostic & research industry average of 27.

LH passed 19 out of 38 due diligence checks and has strong fundamentals. Labcorp Holdings has seen its stock return 17.75% over the past year, overperforming other diagnostic & research stocks by 44 percentage points.

Labcorp Holdings has an average 1 year price target of $273.20, an upside of 13.63% from Labcorp Holdings's current stock price of $240.42.

Labcorp Holdings stock has a consensus Strong Buy recommendation according to Wall Street analysts. Of the 10 analysts covering Labcorp Holdings, 70% have issued a Strong Buy rating, 10% have issued a Buy, 20% have issued a hold, while 0% have issued a Sell rating, and 0% have issued a Strong Sell.

Out of 5 diagnostic & research stocks that have issued dividends in the past year, the 3 diagnostic & research stocks with the highest dividend yields are:

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX) has an annual dividend yield of 1.29%, which is 1 percentage points higher than the diagnostic & research industry average of 0.59%. Quest Diagnostics's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Quest Diagnostics's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Quest Diagnostics's dividend payout ratio of 38.1% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A) has an annual dividend yield of 0.67%, which is the same as the diagnostic & research industry average of 0.59%. Agilent Technologies's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Agilent Technologies's dividend has shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Agilent Technologies's dividend payout ratio of 21.9% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Labcorp Holdings (NYSE:LH) has an annual dividend yield of 0.6%, which is the same as the diagnostic & research industry average of 0.59%. Labcorp Holdings's dividend payout is stable, having never dropped by more than 10% in the last 10 years. Labcorp Holdings's dividend has not shown consistent growth over the last 10 years.

Labcorp Holdings's dividend payout ratio of 33% indicates that its dividend yield is sustainable for the long-term.

Diagnostic & research stocks were up 1.09% in the last day, and up 5.02% over the last week.

We couldn't find a catalyst for why diagnostic & research stocks are up.

Based on the Valuation rating, one of the 7 components of a stocks overall Zen Ratings grade, which evaluates factors including estimated earnings yield, earnings before interest and taxes/enterprise value, cash flow yield, free cash flow to price, and price-to-earnings growth (PEG ratio), the 3 most undervalued diagnostic & research stocks right now are:

Icon (NASDAQ:ICLR) is the most undervalued diagnostic & research stock based on its Valuation Rating of A. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Icon has a valuation score of 57, which is 39 points higher than the diagnostic & research industry average of 18. It passed 4 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks.

Icon's stock has dropped -50.91% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the diagnostic & research industry by -25 percentage points.

Charles River Laboratories International (NYSE:CRL) is the second most undervalued diagnostic & research stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Charles River Laboratories International has a valuation score of 14, which is -4 points higher than the diagnostic & research industry average of 18. It passed 1 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates CRL a Valuation Rating of "B".

Charles River Laboratories International's stock has dropped -49.47% in the past year. It has underperformed other stocks in the diagnostic & research industry by -24 percentage points.

Qiagen Nv (NYSE:QGEN) is the third most undervalued diagnostic & research stock based on its Valuation Rating of B. Valuation is one of 7 Component Grades used to calculate the overall Zen Rating.

Qiagen Nv has a valuation score of 14, which is -4 points higher than the diagnostic & research industry average of 18. It passed 1 out of 7 valuation due diligence checks. Although this number is below the industry average, our proven quant model rates QGEN a Valuation Rating of "B".

Qiagen Nv's stock has gained 0.78% in the past year. It has overperformed other stocks in the diagnostic & research industry by 27 percentage points.

54.76% of diagnostic & research stocks rated by analysts are a strong buy right now. On average, analysts expect diagnostic & research stocks to rise by 26.47% over the next year.

2.33% of diagnostic & research stocks have a Zen Rating of A (Strong Buy), 13.95% of diagnostic & research stocks are rated B (Buy), 74.42% are rated C (Hold), 9.3% are rated D (Sell), and 0% are rated F (Strong Sell).